Linda Brandt: Allergy or intolerance, the challenges are the same for conscientious cooks

Wednesday

Nov 15, 2017 at 2:01 AM

Helpful hints and recipes for preparing food for people with food allergies

By Linda Brandt, Correspondent

I devoted a recent column to a reader’s questions about convection toaster ovens. In a subsequent email, that same reader, Judy Savela, mentioned the challenge of preparing food for family members with food allergies.

This challenge, faced by many cooks, is increased by the fact that food manufacturers may change the formulation of their products, which means that a food that was allergen-free at one time could now contain allergens.

Savela’s granddaughter, for example, has an allergy to peanuts. “I need to read every label carefully,” she writes, noting that a certain cake mix at one time did not contain allergens but now lists peanut flour as an ingredient.

“Additionally, I have to search labels for a possible statement that, though no nut products are therein contained, it might’ve been produced on equipment where other products containing nuts were produced. Such traces can be deadly.”

Allergy vs. Intolerance

An article titled “Your Food Allergy Field Guide” from foodallergy.org, points out that food intolerance is related to difficulty digesting food and is usually characterized by an upset stomach or excess gas but is not life-threatening. The most common intolerance is to lactose, a natural sugar found in milk.

Food allergies involve the immune system and can be life-threatening. They cause the immune system to produce the antibody immunoglobulin E, which fights food allergens by releasing histamine and other chemicals, triggering an allergic reaction, the most serious of which is anaphylaxis which may be deadly. Reactions ranging from mild to serious may appear within a few minutes or a few hours and may affect lungs, heart, throat, mouth, skin, gut or brain or a combination. Find a list of symptoms ranging from mild to severe in the field guide pdf.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists the major food allergens as milk, wheat, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, crustacean shellfish and soy. They account for 90 percent of food allergy reactions in the United States.

Labeling

The Food Allergy Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) requires that food labels show in plain English when one or more of the major food allergens or any ingredient containing protein from a major food allergen is in the product.

The law applies to ingredients that are intentionally added to foods, including dyes, spices, flavorings, additives and processing aids, but does not require manufacturers to warn of possible unintentional cross-contact during processing. Warnings such as “Processed in a facility with …” or “May contain …” are voluntary.

The law does not apply to fresh meats, fresh fruits or fresh vegetables. Nor does it apply to highly refined oils even though they may be derived from a major allergen, such as peanuts or tree nuts.

The law names crustacean shellfish such as shrimp, crab and lobster, but molluscan shellfish such as scallops, clams, mussels and oysters are not considered major allergens.

Other allergens not on the “major” list may or may not be declared on the label. Manufacturers often provide a phone number on their label that consumers can call for information about a particular allergen. In some cases manufacturers may prefer not to disclose their ingredients.

Foods packaged or wrapped for a customer’s individual order, such as from a bakery or deli, are exempt.

Cross-Contamination vs. Cross-Contact

Cross-contamination refers to bacteria or viruses on food that make it unsafe to eat. Cooking lessens the chance of illness from cross-contamination.

Cooking does not remove allergens from food. The only way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid the food and use soap and water to carefully clean anything that came in contact with it.

To avoid cross-contact:

Use utensils, cutting boards and pans that have been thoroughly washed with soap and water. Consider using separate utensils and dishes for making and serving allergen-free foods. Some folks use different colors of utensils to identify which kitchen tools may be used on them.

If you are making several foods, cook the allergy-safe foods first. Then keep them covered and away from other foods that may splatter.

If you accidentally add an allergen to food, you cannot simply remove it. Even the smallest trace can cause a reaction.

After handling a food allergen, wash hands with soap and water. Commercial wipes will remove an allergen, but sanitizing gel or water alone will not. Scrub down counters and tables with soap and water after making meals.

Do not share food, drinks or utensils; teach children not to share food, drinks or utensils with friends.

Something to think about:

Neither the onset nor severity of an allergic reaction can be predicted.

Allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish are usually life-long. And while there is no cure, allergies to milk, egg, wheat and soy usually begin in childhood and may eventually be outgrown. If you believe you or a loved one may have outgrown an allergy, you or your loved one should be tested by an allergist before trying even a small amount of an allergen.

Paleo Spaghetti Pie (Grain- Gluten- and Dairy-Free)

Ingredients:

1 large spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

1 pound ground turkey sausage

1/2 cup diced onion

1 cup pizza sauce

1 cup coarsely chopped baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 eggs, beaten

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place spaghetti squash, cut side down, on a baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven until cooked through, about 25 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the strands of squash with a spoon and place in an 8-inch square baking dish.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 F.

Cook and stir turkey sausage and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until sausage is browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir pizza sauce, spinach, red bell pepper, applesauce, basil, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper into sausage mixture. Spread over squash in baking dish.

Pour eggs over mixture and toss with squash just until egg is just combined.

Bake in the preheated oven until mixture is bubbling and eggs are set, about 1 hour.

Serves 6.

From allrecipes.com

Gluten-Free Vegan Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (flax meal)

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sugar or honey)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup milk (or nondairy substitute)

Method:

Grease a griddle and preheat over medium heat. (Or use a pan on top of the stove.)

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, flax meal, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup, vanilla, applesauce and milk. Slowly mix half of the liquid into the dry ingredients, stirring continuously, and add the rest 1/4 cup at a time to avoid a runny batter. Mix until there are no lumps in the batter.

On the griddle, cook the pancakes using about ¼ cup of batter for each.

Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, turning pancakes when they start to bubble around the edges.

In a nonstick skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add corn, onion and bell pepper and cook over high heat until crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Scrape 1 cup of the mixture into a food processor and pulse to a coarse puree.

In a bowl, squeeze the hearts of palm to break them into shards. Add puree and remaining sautéed vegetables to the bowl, along with the Old Bay, parsley, mayonnaise, mustard and the¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of bread crumbs. Season lightly with salt and pepper and stir until evenly moistened.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and fill a pie plate with additional bread crumbs. Scoop scant ¼-cup mounds of the hearts of palm mixture into the breadcrumbs and roll to coat. Form the mounds into 18 (2-inch) cakes and transfer to the baking sheet.

Wipe out the skillet and add a scant 1/8-inch of oil. Fry half of the cakes over moderate heat, turning once, until crispy, 2 minutes per side. Wipe out the skillet and add clean oil before frying the remaining cakes. Serve hot with a green salad.

Note: The cakes may be formed and then covered and refrigerated overnight.

Serves 6.

From Richard Landau, Food&Wine, August 2013

E-mail Linda Brandt at brandtlinda11@gmail.com

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